Dave Darrin's Third Year at Annapolis eBook

“I don’t want to beat about the bush,
and, on the other hand, I don’t want to do you
any injustice, Mr. Jetson, I thought perhaps you would
be willing to help me out by proffering your midshipman’s
word of honor—­”

“And I,” rejoined Jetson in cold anger,
“consider it insulting, sir, that I should be
asked to pledge my word of honor.”

“That is an extreme position to take,”
protested Dan. “No good man, when appearances
are against him, should be afraid to offer his word
of honor.”

“Suppose,” sneered Jetson, in suppressed
fury, “I should go to the other extreme, and
say that I did it on purpose?”

“Then I’d knock you down, like a dog,”
Dan answered directly and simply, “and next
call on the men here to drive you forth from the brigade.”

“If you think you could knock me down,”
quivered Midshipman Jetson, “you’d better
go ahead and find out whether your guess is correct.
Dalzell, you’ve been highly insulting, and I
don’t mind declaring that a fight with you would
suit me, at present, better than anything that I can
think of.”

“Then you have your recourse, in a challenge,”
Dan hinted promptly.

“What’s the need of a challenge, seconds—­or
of anything but fists? I don’t need them.”

“The brigade claims some supervision over fights
between the men here,” Dan replied. “I
intend to demand that the class take up, as a class
matter, the mishap to Darrin this afternoon.”

CHAPTER IX

Now Dalzell “sailed in” in earnest.
He attacked forcefully and swiftly. Jetson was
forced to give ground. Dan pursued him around
the room. Being no coward, Jetson stood well
up to the work, driving in for himself at least two
out of every five blows that were landed.

Rap-tap-tap! sounded on the door, but neither combatant
heard.

Smash! Dan’s forceful right landed on Jetson’s
neck, sending that midshipman to the floor, whereupon
Dalzell sprang back three paces.

“Take your time getting on to your feet,”
called Dan in a low voice.

“I don’t want any time,” snapped
Jetson, leaping to his feet.

The words of both speakers were heard at the door,
and the visitor who had knocked now promptly entered.

Fortunate it was for the combatants facing each other
that the intruder was not one of the discipline officers.
Had it been, both midshipmen would have been reported
at once under charges that would have borne serious
results.